2015 RWE NPOWER

FORECASTING CHALLENGE

2 RWE npower Forecasting Challenge 2015

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CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

03
04
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06
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This competition has been created to find the

best forecasters and analysts in the UK.

Introduction
Why enter?
What to expect
Terms and conditions
Dates for your diary

Talented commercial analysts arent easy to find,

and we want to give you a chance to stand out
from the crowd.
By taking part, youll develop a set of targeted
skills that are incredibly valuable in any analytical
role and, with unique career opportunities and a
cash prize on offer, this is not something were
taking lightly.
In teams of between two and four people,
we want you to build a model to predict our
customers energy consumption based on weather
data. Forecasting is integral to our industry and to
any large business. Having an accurate view of how
much energy a customer will use is essential to
ensure that we buy the right amount and minimise
the costs.
You can use any software or skills you see fit,
as long as you send us your forecast numbers
within the time limits. Well then select the
top 3 teams and will schedule video conferences,
where youll have to justify your model before a
panel of experts.
Opportunities to prove yourself in this line
of work are few and far between, so give yourself
a head-start!
Please note this competition is for University
students only (see terms & conditions).
However if you would still be interested
in attempting the challenge please email
graduates@npower.com. You will not be
eligible for the prize but your forecast will be
scored and appear in our rankings.

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WHY ENTER?
If youre interested in an analytical
role, this competition could either
be your ticket into npower, or could
set you up with the skills you need to
succeed elsewhere. Were giving you
the chance to do what some of our
teams do on a day-to-day basis so
theres no better way to prove yourself.
The winning team will receive
internships with npower along with
a cash prize of 500.
This competition is geared around
finding talented analysts and
forecasters, and will immediately set
you apart from other candidates.
Regardless of where you place in the
competition, this kind of experience
and exposure to industry-level
commercial work is hard to find, so
what have you got to lose?
If this sounds like something
youd be up for, head to
npowerjobs.com/graduates and
youll find a short application form
under Competitions.
If you would like to know more
about the Commercial Analyst
Graduate scheme please head
to our graduate recruitment page npowerjobs.com/graduates/
commercial-analyst-2015 - to find
out what the scheme has to offer.

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WHAT TO EXPECT
The competition is split into 3 stages. To
begin with, well send you a sample set
of 2 years of weather data along with
the resulting consumption of power of
our customers. Well also send you just
the weather data for the second quarter
of a year. Youll then have 2 weeks
to build a model for the relationship
between weather and consumption, and
use this model to produce a forecast of
consumption for the second quarter.
After you submit your results on Friday
27th February, well publish the results
in a leader board on the following
Monday - and will then send you the
weather data for the third quarter.

Youll then have until the following

Friday to make any adjustments to your
model and send in your forecast before
we publish the results again on the
following Monday and send you the
weather data for the final quarter of the
year. Again, youll have until Friday to
make any adjustments and send us your
forecast for the final quarter.

conference. The contribution this will

make to the final decision should not be
underestimated we need analysts who
can explain and justify their decisions!
The team whose forecast was the most
accurate may not necessarily be the
overall winner.

But the competition doesnt end

there! Once all the forecasts have
been received, well reveal the top 3
teams whove made it through to the
grand final. These leading teams will
be required to present their model
and justify their assumptions via video

FORECASTING PROCESS

Forecasting
Process

Finalists
Announced

Finalist Video
Conferences

Submit your
forecast

Submit your
forecast

Leaderboard
released

We send
Sample Set

Build your
model and
forecast

We send

Q2

Competition Opens
16.02.15

Winner
Announced
Submit your
final forecast

Leaderboard
released

Amend your
model and
forecast

We send

Q3

Monday
Friday 02.03.15
27.02.15

Amend your
model and
forecast
Q4

Monday
Friday 09.03.15
06.03.15
KEY:

Friday
13.03.15
Consumption
Data

Weather
Data

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please read the terms and conditions of entry carefully as RWE npower (RWE npower)
will only consider those submissions and presentations which are in compliance with them.
1 The competition is open to all
undergraduate& postgraduate
students who are currently
studying in and have the right to
work in the United Kingdom.
2 Participants must either be a
current student of, or, within the
six months prior to February2015,
have graduated from, a university
in the UK.
3 All team members must have
reached the age of 18 as at 31
August 2014.
4 All team members must be
from the same university but
can be selected from different
departments of that university.
5 Whilst multiple teams from one
university can submit entries,
a student can participate only
in one team entered by that
university. RWE npower reserves
the right to exercise its discretion
to select only one team from a
university.
6 By entering the competition, the
teams confirm that, if selected,
they have sufficient time to
complete the three forecasting
stages of the competition and,
if successful, can participate in
a conference call/visit an RWE
npower office for the final.
RWE npower retains the right
to disqualify a team if any of its
members is unable to complete
the required forecasts or does not
attend the final.
7 The winning team of the
competition will receive an
internship with npower as their
prize along with a cash prize of
500 in total. The 500 prize is
independent of team size and is
awarded as a single prize to the
team not to each individual.
The internship does not
guarantee a place on the RWE

npower Commercial Analyst

graduate scheme. RWE npower
reserves the right to withhold
these prizes if it is deemed
necessary. RWE npower accepts
no responsibility for any individual
who doesnt undertake an
internship and this offer is
non-transferable and cannot be
exchanged for any kind
of remuneration.
8 The content of each application
submitted as an entry to the
competition and any presentation
based on that entry must be
original, unpublished and the
work only of the team which
submitted the entry.
9 All teams are required, following
the closing date for entries and
prior to progressing further in
the competition, to submit a
declaration form, signed by all
team members, which confirms
their understanding of and
compliance with these terms
and conditions.
10 Responsibility cannot be accepted
by RWE npower for lost, delayed
or damaged entries. Proof of
submission is not proof of receipt.
Teams which do not submit their
entries by the closing date will be
excluded from the competition.
Incomplete, illegible or altered
entries and any not in accordance
with these terms and conditions
are invalid and such entry will be
excluded from the competition.
11 Entries will not be returned.
Title to and all rights, including
copyright in the entries, will
pass to RWE npower on receipt
of the entry by RWE npower.
RWE npower can disclose,
publish, use, reproduce or
copy entries in any medium to
promote the competition and/or
promote or develop other
RWE npower initiatives.

12 Teams should ensure that they

keep a copy of their entry for
their own reference.
13 The final maybe filmed and
photographed. By entering the
competition, team members
consent to RWE npowers right
to use the images created for its
websites and for any other related
publicity, e.g. www.npowerjobs.
com/energychallenge.
14 Team members cannot include
any person who has worked for or
is related to any employee either
of RWE AG, in Germany, or, in
the UK, of RWE npower, or any
of their associated companies or
another company associated with
the competition.
15 Entries must not be in breach of
any third party right and must be
the entering teams own original
and undisputed work. Teams
must obtain the written consent
of any relevant rights owner with
respect to any material etc. used
in their entries.
16 RWE npower is not obliged to
contact any team which fails to
progress in the competition.
17 The winning team is required to
co-operate fully with RWE npower
in connection with any promotion
or publicity of the competition or
future competitions.
18 In the event of any circumstances
which render the performance of
all or any part of the competition
impossible for any reason beyond
the control of RWE npower, it can,
at its absolute discretion vary,
amend, suspend or withdraw
the competition, with or without
notice. RWE npower excludes any
liability if all or any part of the
competition is cancelled for
any reason.

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19 RWE npower will use the personal

details of team members for the
purposes of the competition,
but these will not be passed to
any third parties. Any decision
of RWE npower at any point in
the competition is final and no
correspondence will be entered
into in relation to the competition
or any part thereof.
20 RWE npower reserves the right to
exclude any team in the event that
it or its team members, bring all,
or any part of, the competition, or
RWE npower, or any other party

connected with the competition,

into disrepute.
21 No cash alternatives to, a)
participation in any part of this
competition; or b) any of its prizes
are available.
22 RWE npower shall not be
liable for injury, death, loss or
damage suffered by a participant
whether or not caused by any
act or omission of RWE npower
or any of its servants, agents,
contractors or by any other
entrant or participant.

23 RWE npower shall not be liable for

any uninsured losses, baggage or
other property; nor for any indirect
or consequential losses, damages
or expenses; nor for loss of time,
enjoyment or inconvenience; nor
for any illness, injury or death
sustained during the competition.
24 RWE npower does not
accepted liability for death
or personal injury.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Key Dates

Key Dates

Application
Deadline 13.02.15

Third
submission 13.03.15

First
submission 27.02.15

Video
conferences Mid-March

Competition
Opens 16.02.15

Leader board
released 02.03.15

Second
submission 06.03.15
Leader board
released 09.03.15

Finalists
announced 16.03.15

Winner
announced Mid-March

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